Georgia, Vanderbilt expect emotions on high at football game

Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch (88) fumbles as he is tackled by Florida Atlantic defensive back D'Joun Smith, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012, in Athens, Ga. Florida Atlantic defensive back Anthony Hamilton, left, recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATHENS — When it comes to games within Georgia’s own division, Vanderbilt barely registers on the anticipation meter.

Not so this year.

Ever since Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and Vanderbilt coach James Franklin exchanged fiery words on the field after the Bulldogs’ 33-28 win in Nashville last season, this game was underlined on the schedule for both teams.

“Everyone saw what happened at the end of that game, and I’m sure those guys are ready to play, and so are we,” Georgia defensive back Sanders Commings said. “It should be a pretty emotional game.”

Commings noted some hits that were “questionable by both sides,” in the game. Georgia’s Shawn Williams and Kwame Geathers and Vanderbilt’s Logan Stewart all drew half-game suspensions.

Franklin took issue with what he said was Williams talking trash after the game. He pointed at the Georgia safety and Grantham came to the defense of Williams.

“I love my players and I’m going to support my players,” Grantham said after the game.

Now they meet again.

“I know we’ll be motivated,” coach Mark Richt said. “We’ll be motivated for that game. ... We’ll be ready. They’re a really good team. We have a lot of respect for them and we know we better be ready.”

Georgia (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) will play as a top-five team in the 7:45 p.m game on ESPN2 for the first time since the blackout game against Alabama on Sept. 27, 2008, a game the then- No. 3 Bulldogs lost 41-30.

Georgia moved up two spots to No. 5 in The Associated Press poll on Sunday after its 56-20 romp over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs are No. 6 in the coaches’ poll.

Grantham said he didn’t expect his players to be more emotional given how last year’s game ended.

“Nah, I think we’re going to prepare as if it’s an SEC game,” he said. “It’s a home game in our division, so that’s important. That’s the way we’re going to approach it. That’s really it, to be honest with you.”

Georgia has won 16 of its last 17 against Vanderbilt.

“I see it as unfinished business,” Vanderbilt defensive end Johnell Thomas told the Tennessean on Saturday. “We’re going to prepare for this game like we would prepare for any other game. We’re going to come out with high intensity, high expectations and no fear. We’re going to make this week of practice the best week of practice yet.”

Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-1 SEC) switched up its starting quarterbacks after losing to South Carolina and Northwestern, going with Wyoming transfer Austyn Carta-Samuels in place of Jordan Rodgers. He led the Commodores to a 58-0 win Saturday over FCS opponent Presbyterian. Franklin was noncommittal about his starter for Georgia.

“I don’t think they’ll reinvent the wheel this week compared to what they just did this Saturday,” Richt said.

Murray and history

Georgia’s quarterback will, of course, be Aaron Murray.

Murray threw for a career-high 342 yards on just 14 completions, averaging 24.4 yards per completion on a night when Georgia’s offense averaged 11.3 yards per play. He is now tied for second all-time in school history with Eric Zeier in touchdown passes with 67. He’s five away from tying David Greene’s record of 72.

Notes

Richt said he is “hopeful” that outside linebacker Jarvis Jones will play Saturday after sitting out the Florida Atlantic game with a groin injury. “Sometimes a pulled muscle you can get set back,” Richt said. “You just never know how long it takes for something to heal. We’ll just have to wait and see. We’d definitely would like for him to play, that’s for sure.”

Richt hopes to find out more about offensive guard Dallas Lee’s availability today. Lee was on crutches in the second half after spraining an ankle in the second quarter.

The SEC East has three top-15 teams now. In the AP poll, Georgia is No. 5, South Carolina is No. 7 and Florida is No. 14. “It’s like I say when the season started when everybody wants to keep asking me about schedule, schedule, schedule,” Richt said. “I say, ‘We’ll see at the end of the year who had the toughest schedule. We’ll see what everybody thinks when it’s over,’ because you can’t really predict that. You can predict it, but you can be wrong.”